Process and apparatus for developing light-sensitive material

ABSTRACT

A process and an apparatus for developing light-sensitive material. The apparatus comprises A CHAMBER MEMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A DEVELOPER AND HAVING AN APERTURE IN THE TOP THEREOF, A FIRST PLATE ADAPTED TO SEAL SAID APERTURE, A FIRST MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID FIRST PLATE INTO AND OUT OF SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID APERTURE, A TABLE ON THE TOP OF SAID CHAMBER, A SECOND PLATE MOUNTED ABOVE SAID FIRST PLATE AND ADAPTED TO SEAL A LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL IN SAID APERTURE, AND A SECOND MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID SECOND PLATE INTO AND OUT OF SEALING ENGAGEMENT.

United States Patent 1191 Schriiter et a].

[11] 1451 July 31,1973

[22] Filed:

[ 1 rnocass AND" APPARATUS F011 DEVELOPING LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL [75] Inventors: Herbert Schriiter, Hahn; Jochen Koblo, Wiesbaden, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Kalle Aktiengesellschaft,wiesbaden,

, Germany Sept.7, 1972 [211 App]. No.: 286,918

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 9, 1971 Germany P 21 45 079.3

521' U.S. c1...; ..'.'....;...-'9s/a9c,118/48 rsnflruccl. ..G03d7/00 s31 Field of Search 95/89 R, 89 A, 89 G,

[5 6] a I References Cited I v UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,323,436 6/1967 Haferetal 95/890 3,333,981 8 /1967 Kinsella et al. 118/49 UX 3,446,135 5/1969 Don'nan 3,502,051 3/1970 Adams 118/49 X Primary Examiner-Fred L. Braun Attorney-James E. Bryan 57 ABSTRACT A process and an apparatus for developing lightsensitive material. The apparatus comprises a chamber member adapted to contain a developer and having an aperture in the top thereof,

a first plate adapted to seal said aperture,

a first mechanism for moving said first plate into and out of sealing engagement with said aperture, I

a table on the top of said chamber,

a second plate mounted above said first plate and adapted to seal a light-sensitive material in said aperture, 1

and a second mechanism for moving saidsecond plate into and out of sealing engagement.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUJtLaI ms SHEETS 0? (3V FIG. 3

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING LIGHT-SENSITIVE MATERIAL This invention relates to a process and an apparatus for developing light-sensitive material. Particularly microfilms with diazo layers are developed according to the process and with the apparatus.

The hitherto known developing apparatuses operating without pressure consist of a housing in which cards with film windows are introduced between a cover plate and a table plate. The introduced card with the film window lies above an opening of the developing chamber. 'In order to prevent ammonia from passing through the feed slot for the cards to the outside, air is drawn through the slot. Through a discharge pipe, the airis either led into an absorber or into a discharge means. A disadvantage of these apparatuses is that they do not work without exhaust air and that, during development, not only the air but also the ammonia acting upon the material to be developed is drawn off simultaneously. l l

There are also known some developing apparatuses working without exhaust air and under pressure. German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1,597,722, for example, discloses an apparatus for developing diazo films in which the diazo films are placed between two plates which are pressed together during development and together form a sealed chamber. Ammonia is introduced into this sealed chamber and displaces the air contained therein through a dischargepipe into a tank. The air is thenled into the chamber in order to purge the chamber again of ammonia before the plates are opened and the diazo filmis removed. r

From German Qffenlegungsschrift No. 1,522,867, a developing apparatus is known in which the developing chamber is connected with a second chamber into which the air contained in the developing chamber upon closure can escape by the introduction of ammonia, since the air would cause nonuniform development of the film. The film is developed with ammonia under pressure. After development, the ammonia gas flows into an absorber. The residual ammonia in the developing chamber, however, may escape to the outside upon opening of the developing chamber for removing the film. To prevent this, it would be necessary to pass an air stream through the developing chamberprior to opening, as in the'above-described apparatus.

The present invention providesa process and an apparatus for developing light-sensitive material which operatewithout exhaust air, require only brief development times,-and with which washing out of the developing medium after development is not necessary. The process and the apparatus are equally suitable for development under atmospheric pressure as well as under superatmospheric pressure.

in the present process for developing light-sensitive material, the material to be developed is placed between aplate sealing an opening of the developing chamber from the outside and a second plate. The material is pressed by the second plate against the first plate so that the material is enclosed and the first plate is opened for the action of the developing medium upon the material. The first plate is closed and the second plate is removed from the developed material.

The present invention further provides an apparatus for developing light-sensitive material including a developing chamber provided with an opening for the action of the developing medium upon the material. The opening is closable by a first slidable plate provided with a seal for sealing the developing chamber from the outside prior to and after development of the material. The opening also is closable by second slidable plate provided with a seal for sealing the material and the developing chamber from the outside during development.

The process and the apparatus are particularly suitablefor developing diazo films'in cards with film windows. They may also be used for developing lightsensitive papers or the like. Suitable developing media are amines, preferably ammonia. During development with ammonia, the ammonia gas can be generated by heating ammonia water in the developing chamber or the ammonia gas can be introduced into the chamber .from an ammonia gas bottle connected with the develshort development times are achieved without water vapor.

The developing chamber may be provided with a refill pipe and a discharge pipe for the developing medium which pipes are regulated by valves. In the developing chamber, there further may be mounted heating devices to heat the developing chamber and, with the use of ammonia water, also the ammonia water. A desired temperature maybe obtained by means of thermostats with regulators.

Prior to and after development, the opening of the developing chamber, through which the developing medium acts upon the material to be developed, is closed with a plate having a seal. The wall of the developing chamber containing the opening simultaneously serves as a feed table for the material lying on the plate closing the opening. A second plate, also having a seal, is then pressed onto the material. The first plate is then removed from the opening so that the developing medium can act upon the material. After development, the opening is again closed and then the second plate is removed from the-developed material. The alternating displacement of the plates prevents the developing medium from escaping to the outside without it being necessary to draw air through and to connect the apparatus to a discharge means. Furthermore, purging of the developing chamber with air after development is not necessary since the developing chamber also has no contact with the outside during the issuance of the developed material.

The plates preferably are moved by means of one or two magnets. The magnets may be actuated manually by means of a switch or the apparatus may have a switching element, e.g. a microswitch, which is actuated by the introduced material to be developed and which, via a timing relay, energizes the magnets or deenergizes them and thus controls the displacement of the plates. g

The apparatus of the invention also may operate as a continuous developing apparatus in which the exposed material is introduced on one side of the apparatus and issued on the other side. This'is particularly advantageous when the developing apparatus is a part of equipment in which the material is also exposed to light. The exposed material is then automatically fed from the exposure section to the development section. The invention will be further illustrated by way of two exemplary embodiments of the accompanying with a feed slot 2 for the film window card 3, which slot is limited by the feed plate 4 and the table plate 5. The table plate 5 simultaneously is the top of the developing chamber 6. The table plate 5 has an opening 7 therein which is closed by a plate 9 provided with an elastomer seal 8 and positioned within the developing chamber 6. The developing chamber 6 is thus sealed from the outside prior to and after development. The plate 9 and the'table plate 5 preferably are coplanar so that the film window 10 of the film window card 3 introduced into the feed slot 2-lies on the plate 9. A space between the film window 10 and the plate 9 still would contain ammonia after development, which could escape to the outside.

The development chamber 6 contains ammonia water 11 which is heated by a heating element 12. By meansof a thermostat 13 it is possible to set and maintain a certain temperature. The space above the ammonia water 11 canbe heated by the heating element 14 which is regulated by means of a thermostat 15. The developing chamber 6is further provided with a filling tube 16 carrying a filling valve 17 through which ammonia water can be replenished. The bottom 18 of the developing chamber 6 has a discharge pipe 19 with a discharge valve v20.

The plate 9 is'slidable within the guide means 22 by means of a pull magnet 21. When the developing apparatus is in the rest position (shown in FIG. 1), the deenergized pull magnet 21 seals-the opening 7 with the plate 9 since the plate 9 is pressed by means of a spring 23 against the table plate 5. By means of an adjusting bolt 24 and an adjusting plate 25, it is possible to provide a specific contact pressure.

Outside of the developing chamber 6 above the opening 7 there is a second plate 26 carrying an elastomer seal 27. This plate 26 is slidable by means of a push magnet 28. When the apparatus is in the rest position, the push magnet 28 is deenergized and the plate 26 is maintained by the return spring 29 in a position in which the plate 26 exposes the feed slot 2 for the film window card 3. The tension of the return spring 29 may be'adjusted by an adjusting screw 30.

FIG. -1 shows the positions of the plates 9 and 26 prior to and after development. When the film window card 3 is introduced into the feed slot 2, the magnet 28 is energized by actuating a switch whereby the plate 26 is pressed against the film window card 3 and the latter against the table plate 5. The opening 7 of the developing chamber 6 is still closed by the plate 9 and the film window 10 to be developed is sealed by the plate 26 from the outside. FIG. 2 shows these positions of the plates 26 and 9.

The pull magnet 21 is then energized by a switch whereby the plate 9 is retracted in the guide means 22. The bellows 31 are thereby compressed. The plate 9 exposes the opening 7 of the developing chamber 6 so that the ammonia can act upon the film window 10. The plate 26 seals the developing chamber 6 and the film window 10 from the outside. This position is shown in FIG. 3.

After development, the pull magnet 21 is deenergized and the plate is pressed again by the return spring 23 against the table plate 5. The opening 7 of the developing chamber 6 is again closed and the plates 9 and 26 again have the positions shown in FIG. 2. The push magnet 28 is then deenergized and the plate 26 is lifted by the return spring 29 from the film window card 3 which now can be removed from the feed slot 2. The plates 9 and 26 again have the positions shown in FIG.

At a suitable place in the feed slot 2 there may be a switching element, e.g. a microswitch, which is actuated by the introduced film window card 3. The push magnet 28 is then energized thereby and, after a certain delay, the pull magnet 21. The duration of development is determined by a timing relay. After the expiration of this time, the pull magnet 21 is deenergized and then the push magnet 28. Development proceeds auto-- matically without the necessity to manually actuate the switch for applying current to the magnets 21 and '28 or to terminate the current applied. Instead of filling ammonia water 11 into the developing chamber 6, the developing chamber 6 may be connected to an ammonia gas bottle. In order to achieve short times of development when working under atmospheric pressure or under a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure, water is vaporized in the developing chamber 6. At a pressure of 0.2 kg/cm above atmospheric pressure and a temperature of C, a reduction of the time of development from 20 to 30 seconds to about 1 second is achieved thereby.

The feed slot 2 may also be formed as a continuous slot from one wall to the opposite wall of the housing 1 so that the film window card 3 can be introduced on one side of the apparatus and issued on the other side thereof. The film window card 3 may then be transported by transporting elements controlled byfswitching elements. 7

FIGS. 4 to 6 illustrate the second exemplary embodiment. In a housing 32, there is a feed slot 33 for 'the film window card 34. The feed slot 33 is limited by the feed plate 35 and the table plate 36. The table plate 36 separates the developing chamber 37 from the other part of the apparatusand is provided with an opening 38 which is closed by the air-displacing body 39, which is positioned on the plate 40 mounted within the developing chamber 37. The plate 40 has an elastomer seal 41 which seals the developing chamber 37 from the outside. In the developing chamber 37, there is a container 42 of ammonia water from which ammonia may vaporize by means of a heating device, not shown. When working under a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure, pressure compensating containers 43 and 44 may be mounted at the developing chamberi37, as

shown in FIG. 4.

The introduced film window card 34 lies withits film window 45 on the body 39. Above the film window 45, there is a plate 46 with an elastomer seal 47. Priorto and after development, this plate 46 is in a position which exposes the feed slot 33 behind the feed plate 35 for the film window card 34. Above the plate 46, there is a magnet 48 with a return spring 49, the anchor 50 of which carries a guide and an abutment '56.

When the apparatus is in the rest position, the plates 40 and 46 have the positions shown in FIG. 4. The plate 40 is pressed with its seal41 against the table plate 36 by means'of thesprings 57 mounted between the abutments 56 and the feed'plate 35 on the guide rods 53. A film window card 34 introduced into the feed slot 33 actuates the switch 58 whereby the magnet 48 is energized. The guide bar 51 is first moved downward to the abutments 56 (distance a) and with it the plate 46 which is pressed onto the film window card 34 and seals the same from the outside. The positions of the guide bar 51 and of the plate 46 are shown in FIG. 5. The guide bar 51 is further moved downward and thereby pressed on the abutments 56. The guide rods 53, and

with them the plate 40 with its air-displacing body 39, are moved downward, the springs ,57 being thereby compressed. The springs 59 located on the guide rods .52 are also compressed by the guide bar 51 as it is pushed downward. The opening 38is exposed so that the ammonia can act upon the film window 45. The developing chamber 37 and the film window 45 are sealed from the outside by the plate 46 with its seal 47. This position is shown in FIG. 6.

After the expiration of a certain time, controlled by meansof a timing relay, the magnet 48 is deenergized. The guide bar 51 is again pushed upward and thus first the opening'38 is closed by the plate 40 with its body 39 (FIG. 5) and then the plate 46 is lifted so that the developed film window card 34 can be removed (FIG. 4). 1

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made within the scope of the present, invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such'modifications.. v

What is claimed is: V I

l. A process for developing light-sensitive material which comprises 7 introducing material to be developed between a first plate sealing an opening in a developing chamber and a second plate,

pressing the material by means of said second plate against said first plate whereby the material is en closed, Y "1 opening said first plate to permit a developer to act upon the material,

closing said first plate, and

removing said second plate from the developed material.

2. Apparatus for developing light-sensitive material comprising chamber means adapted to contain a developer and having aperture means in the top thereof,

first plate means adapted to sealsaid aperture means,

means for moving said first plate means into and out of sealing engagement with said aperture means,

table means on the top of said chamber means,

second plate means mounted above said first plate,

switch means actuated by said material for controlling said magnet means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2 including a source of ammonia gas connected to said chamber means. I

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surfaces of the first and second plate means, which surfaces come into contact with the material to be develwith an'elastome'r seal.

oped, are provided 

1. A process for developing light-sensitive material which comprises introducing material to be developed between a first plate sealing an opening in a developing chamber and a second plate, pressing the material by means of said second plate against said first plate whereby the material is enclosed, opening said first plate to permit a developer to act upon the material, closing said first plate, and removing said second plate from the developed material.
 2. Apparatus for developing light-sensitive material comprising chamber means adapted to contain a developer and having aperture means in the top thereof, first plate means adapted to seal said aperture means, means for moving said first plate means into and out of sealing engagement with said aperture means, table means on the top of said chamber means, second plate means mounted above said first plate means and adapted to seal a light-sensitive material in said aperture means, and means for moving said second plate means into and out of sealing engagement.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 2 including magnet means for moving said first and second plate means.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 3 including switch means actuated by said material for controlling said magnet means.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 2 including a source of ammonia gas connected to said chamber means.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the surfaces of the first and second plate means, which surfaces come into contact with the material to be developed, are provided with an elastomer seal. 